A stage at the far end is complemented by a circular acting area shaped like a giant Polo mint and the luckiest audience members sit at tables in the “hole”.
This revival, directed by its creator Clarke Peters (Detective Lester Freamon in TV’s The Wire), barrels along in great style, even if the story is little more than an excuse to get the show kick-started.
In the present day, Nomax (Edward Baruwa) is drinking himself into a stupor ’cos his girl done left him due to his drinking and propensity for self-pity. While Nomax listens to the radio in his shabby New Orleans apartment, five men of varying shapes and sizes but the same name – Moe – pop up out of the furniture and the floor like unbottled imps or genies.
Dressed in 1950s threads, the Fab Five take Nomax in hand and lead him through a series of songs intended to show him the error of his ways.
As individuals, with the descriptive Jonsonian names Little, Four-Eyed, Know, Big and Eat, they sing beautifully and their collective harmonies are almost angelic.
The dancing is cool and slick, ranging from the shimmy-shake to a sequence of James Brown splits from Know Moe (Dex Lee) that made me wince. And the vocals are even better, with each Moe bringing something to the party.
The band rocks and swings with panache and features notable sax player Jessamy Holder.
The songs are great – funny, sharp, pre-rock and roll swing jazz numbers with politically incorrect titles such as I Like ’Em Fat Like That! (It Must Be Jelly ’Cos Jam Don’t Shake) and What’s The Use Of Getting Sober (When You’re Gonna Get Drunk Again). We all join in the chorus of the calypso number Push Ka Pi Shi Pie before joining a Conga line towards the bar at the interval. Yes, it’s that kind of show. Join the party. It is a gas.